SOLAPUR

The food culture of Solapur continues to remain vibrant and diverse even today, but over the years, it has undergone significant changes as well. Traditionally, women in the district used to prepare many products such as Karal chutney, a variety of masala, papads, etc., at home. Presently, this culture is almost in decline or lost. While visiting Solapur households, one will find women, children, and neighboring women assisting each other during the preparation of these products.

Traditional foods of Solapur include bajra bhakri, Zunka Bhakri, Shenga, and desserts like Godhi Huggi (made from rice, moong dal, black pepper, and cumin seeds fried in ghee or butter). But with time, Solapuri cuisine has seen influences from neighboring regions and cultures, introducing new ingredients and cooking practices. Since Karnataka is near Solapur, there are many South Indian dishes popular in the district. For instance, earlier food items like bhakri and porridges of wheat and ragi were eaten during breakfast, but now idlis and dosas are mainly eaten for breakfast. Unlike before, a lot of restaurants and cafes have been established, encouraging the culture of eating out. These restaurants offer various cuisines such as Italian, North Indian, etc., thereby replacing traditional and healthy food items.

Some traditional habits have changed in urban areas, but are still practiced in rural areas and villages. For example, in small towns and villages, people don't use packaged milk. There are people called 'Gavlis' who supply milk to people. Packaged milk is used only in cases of emergency. However, in cities and urban areas, people are okay with packaged milk, and few households get milk from Gavlis.

Solapur's culinary scene caters to diverse dietary preferences. While the majority of the population follows a vegetarian diet, non-vegetarian dishes like Tambda Rassa (spiced mutton curry) and Sukha Mutton are also popular. The city's food culture adheres to cultural and religious practices, with no cow meat options available.

The first meal of the day is breakfast (morning hours), for which people prefer South Indian items such as Idli, Dosa, Upma, etc. Lunch (midday to early afternoon hours) and dinner (early to late evening hours) typically revolve around jowar or bajra bhakri, accompanied by spicy curries like Amti (lentil curry) and vegetable dishes. Desserts like Sheera (semolina pudding) and Shengdanyachi Poli (sweet peanut flatbread) are commonly enjoyed as sweet dishes. Between lunch and dinner, people usually take a tea or coffee break in the evening, along with snacks such as Vada Pav, Chivda, etc. Notably, in some communities like the Jains, dinner is taken before sunset.

Further, when guests arrive, the meal that is prepared includes chapati bhaaji, Amti or Kadhi (made with curd) rice, salad, sweet dishes like Basundi, Shrikhand, and Masala Tak (Buttermilk) as a refreshing drink. Bhaajis include aloo, lady finger, cluster bean, etc. 

Solapur's cuisine is known for its bold and spicy flavors, with the use of chili peppers, garlic, ginger, and goda masala (a blend of spices). 'Thecha' (made up of green chillies or red chillies) is often eaten with bhakri and is loved by most people. The iconic Shengdanyachi Chutney, a fiery peanut-based condiment, is another example of the district’s love for spicy food. 

In the Solapur region, food crops like jowar, bajra, wheat, rice, maize, and barley are mostly cultivated. Additionally, cash crops like sugarcane, fiber types like cotton, and oilseeds are also grown. Solapur is also known for its local brands like Pethe, famous for pickles and masalas such as Kaala Masala and Laal Tikhat Masala. Common homemade pickles include lemon, chili, mango, and kairi (raw mango).

Pickles, or achar, are an integral part of Solapur's culinary heritage. There are many types of pickles kept at homes, like lemon pickle, mango pickle, green chili pickle, carrot pickle, cucumber pickle, wet turmeric pickle, etc. However, raw mango pickle is the most popular and loved by the people of Solapur. Another local specialty includes the spicy shengachi pickle, made with peanuts, and the tangy and crunchy bhadang, a mix of puffed rice, peanuts, and spices.

The ceremony of the first feeding of a baby is called 'Annaprasan'. Anna means rice, and prasan means to eat. In Solapur, newborn babies can't eat rice until the Annaprasan ceremony has occurred. In most communities, this ceremony is done when the baby is between 5 to 7 months old. However, certain other communities follow different traditions.

In the Jain community, they first rub almonds and kharik (dry dates) on traditional rubbing stones and feed them to the baby. Only after this ceremony do they give the baby wheat porridge, as it is believed to be very nutritious. In the Maratha community, the baby's first food is dal bhat, which is dal rice. In the Lingayat community, almonds, kharik (dry dates), and Jayfal are rubbed on traditional rubbing stones, and the mixture is then fed to the baby. After this, they feed some honey to the baby, and the ceremony is known as Jeshtmadh. When the baby turns six months old, they feed the baby rice, rice with milk, or rice with ghee.

Though Puran Poli is mainly prepared for the festive season, another sweet dish known as Huggi is also prepared. The latter is mostly prepared a lot among the Lingayat community as this is offered to Bhagwan Shiv and ‘Shri Siddharam’, who is a great bhakt of Bhagwan Shiv.

Unde are round steamed balls made from jowar or bajra flour and are traditionally prepared for Darsh Amavasya. They are placed on plates inside large vessels filled with water and steamed with the lids sealed tightly.

Shenga Poli, also known as Gul Poli, is made from crushed groundnut, jaggery, and wheat flour. Some people also use cardamom. This is usually prepared on small festivals like Makar Sankranti and Vel Amavasya. Generally, people eat it with ghee on top.

Sanjha Poli, also called 'Lapsi Poli', is shared with close family members and neighbours during the post-marriage ceremonies. This is made of jaggery, lapsi rawa (crumbled wheat,) and wheat flour. Deep frying is required to prepare this poli.

Seasonal delicacies in the region reflect the changing needs of the body through the year. In winter, foods that provide warmth are prepared, such as Til Laddus, Tilgul Chikki, and Bajra Bhakri. Summer brings mango-based treats like Muramba and Amras, making the most of the seasonal fruit.

The district has a variety of wedding menus, often featuring Huggi, Palak Gargatta, Puri, Batta Rassa, Bundi, and Jeera Rice. Snacks like Lamboti cha Chiwda and Namdev Chiwda are unique to Solapur and made by locals.

Sheera, made of rawa, cardamom, milk, ghee, and sugar, is occasionally served as prasad in mandirs. In Siddheshwar Mandir, along with Sheera, Lapsi is also offered sometimes. However, Bhakri, Pithla, and Gargatta are the most important dishes offered as 'Mahaprasad'.

Every Thursday, Tirupavadai Seva is conducted when one can have Netra Darshan of Venkateshwar, a form of Bhagwan Vishnu. Netra Darshan means that the Devta’s eyes are wide open that day, as compared to their daily half-closed eyes. According to the local legend, it is believed that the wide-open eyes of the Devta have extreme power, and when he opens his eyes, the first gaze falls on us, humans (mortals). However, to reduce the power of this gaze, it is first made to fall on the Heap of Puliyogare (tamarind rice), which is kept directly in front of the Devta, thereby sanctifying it and reducing the intensity of His Gaze. This tamarind rice protects the bhakts from Devta’s powerful gaze and is later distributed as Prasad to the bhakts. It is believed that Devta Venkateshwar's favorite food is puliyogare.

In Pandharpur, a significant religious site in Solapur, Battashe and Bundi Laddu are popular prasad offerings at the Vitthal Mandir. Important food distribution centers include Swami Samarth Anna Chatra, Pandharpur Vitthal Mandir Anna Chatra, and Siddeshwar Mandir Anna Chatra.

According to the NFHS 2019 data, merely 0.3% of women above 15 years consume alcohol. For males, this number was significantly high at 13.1%. Locally consumed varieties of alcohol include vodka, beer, and hath bhatti, a desi variety. In Solapur, some alcohol is made in a tyre tube using black jaggery.

Solapur leads Maharashtra in the production of beedi, a type of cigarette made up of tendu leaf and tobacco rolled inside. However, in addition to smoking tobacco, men and women chew tobacco as well.

Harbhara Chutney is a spicy chutney traditionally served with Huggi, a sweet dish made from jaggery, lapsi, and cardamom. The sharp spice of the chutney perfectly balances the sweetness of Huggi, creating a unique combination of flavors. It is prepared using soaked harbhara dal, ground with onions, green chilies, red chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic, and coriander. While it is now commonly made using a mixer, it was traditionally prepared in a khalbatta (mortar and pestle), which many believe gives the chutney a richer, more authentic taste.

Lapsi pudding is unique to this region. It is made of broken or crushed wheat (lapsi), jaggery, and cardamom. These spices add a unique flavor to the pudding. People often eat it along with milk, as lapsi is sweet in taste.

This dish is well-known and loved across the district of Solapur. Here, Jowar Bhakri is generally thick, so it tastes good while it is hot. Pithla is made of besan(gram flour), green chillies, onion, cumin, mustard, hing, and garlic. Unlike Jowar Bhakri, it is generally thin, so we can eat this along with rice too.

The peanut chutney is the most famous in Solapur. It is a fiery mixture of peanuts, red chili powder, salt, and other spices and is served with a variety of dishes. 

Gargatta is a mixture of vegetables such as spinach and green sorrel. Harbhara dal, tur dal, and groundnuts are added to the vegetables to prepare Gargatta.

Bharlela Vanga (stuffed brinjal curry) is a popular dish in Solapur. Prepared mostly by the Lingyat community, it is eaten with bajra bhakri in Makar Sankranti and with Puran Poli during small festivals.

Shenga Bhaaji is a popular dish in the district, made from groundnut crumbles mixed with onion, cumin, sugar, and salt. It has simple ingredients and a rich flavor, making it a regular part of local meals.

Huggi is a dish mainly made in the Lingayat community. Originally from North Karnataka, it is a sweet dish made of jaggery with crumbled wheat (lapsi) and cardamom. This dessert is extremely famous in Solapur and is specially prepared during the festive season.

‘Puli’ means tamarind juice or sour, and ‘ogare’ means cooked rice. This dish, namely tamarind rice, is mostly prepared in the Padmsali community. It said that this dish originated in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. There are other types of ogare in addition to Puliogare, like Melogare.

In Solapur, eating-out habits vary across generations. Younger people often prefer casual outings to cafes, street food stalls, and restaurants, especially near colleges and popular hangout spots like Park Chowpatty, known for its lively atmosphere and gatherings. Middle-aged and older adults usually focus on outings related to work, hobbies, religious gatherings like bhajans, or cultural and social events, depending on personal preferences and family traditions.

Park Chowpatty remains a favorite for celebrations and social meetups, especially among youngsters. Cafes around colleges, Viniz Dosa Restaurant, and Uphar Chimichanga Family Restaurant are popular choices. For street food, Hutatma Garden is a known spot.

Solapur’s food scene caters to a range of tastes. Khan Chacha near the bus stand is popular for non-vegetarian dishes, while Mantralay Hotel’s Paneer Tikka Masala and Surbhi Hotel’s Paneer Masala are vegetarian favorites. Among Pav Bhaaji spots, Supraja has long held the local reputation for being the best, though Anupriya is also well-liked. For South Indian food, Kamat Hotel, established in 1957, continues to serve classics that draw loyal customers year after year.

Lakshmi Papad Udyog in Boramani is a well-known self-help group where women prepare papad, kurdai, shevaya, and kadak bhakri. In Hatture Vasti, various food products like jowar items and idli dough are also produced, supporting local livelihoods and traditional food practices.